Furious residents have been left outraged by plans to erect a new housing estate which is shaped like a giant penis.
Locals couldn’t believe their eyes when plans were submitted for the phallic-shaped housing development on a greenfield site in Telford, Shropshire.
The 250-home site would be built on the former coal mine known as Lawley West and contains a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom homes.
Councillors are currently considering whether to grant the planning application outline permission, with the full details set to be submitted if it is approved.
Last summer, Telford & Wrekin Council and Homes England received 286 responses from residents during a consultation exercise – with 85 per cent opposed to the estate.
One said: ‘I can’t believe somebody didn’t look at that [design] and snigger, because we’ve all cottoned on.’
Others say the rude-shaped development is too big for local infrastructure to cope and would wipe out another green space used by dog walkers and families.
Resident Jane Wheeler, 45, said: ‘Aside from the ridiculous shape of the estate, it’s yet another area of green being bulldozed for houses.
‘If it gets built, lots of people will have to drive many miles to take their dogs for walks. The area is also home to some lovely wildlife.’
If the plans go get the go-ahead, the estate will include 635 private and 97 on-street car parking spaces, along with parking close to a nearby junction.
A cycle and pedestrian route will also be included.
Ashley Brothwood, 33, admitted the drawn plans of the unfortunately-shaped development do make it look ‘more like a penis that it should’.
Dad-of-two Ashley, who works for a cleaning firm, said: ‘I had a look at the plans, looks more like a penis than it should do for a housing estate. It gives it attention, that’s for sure.
‘Telford is a growing place and they build houses anyway. However, where they’re going to build it there is a 60mph road and it’s very narrow.
‘We’ve had multiple rollovers, it’s a fast dangerous road and potentially adding hundreds more cars there will be dangerous.
‘As a whole that’s the main area where there’s a problem. A lot of people complaining have only just moved into their homes five years ago. Lawley has expanded massively over the few years.’
Retired RAF helicopter pilot Les Hornby, 70, is concerned about local infrastructure and whether it can cope with 250 new homes.
Grandad-of-two Les said: ‘I think in principle we need more houses, however this development doesn’t seem to be well thought through.
‘I live next to a green area and it’s a small patch of grass, but it’s the only one around here that kids can play on.
‘And the development is getting rid of it. Kids generally play on it, if they take that away there won’t be anything nearby that they can use.
‘Telford already struggles with schools, my daughter struggled to get places locally. The developer said it wasn’t to do with them.
‘As far as I’m aware, they have no plans to build any further schools. The same for the health service. It’ll be made worse with an extra 250 families’.
Outlining the concerns of residents, the planning documents stated: ‘Many respondents were concerned that the proposed development would result in [the loss of] one of the last remaining green spaces in Lawley and is used by children, dog walkers, and local wildlife.
‘While the final layout of the development would be determined at the reserved matters stage, the site’s topography lends itself to providing new dwellings with attractive vistas across the Wrekin.
‘The site’s boundaries also benefit from natural buffers from existing trees and hedgerows, which would provide a level of screening.’
Lawley West has been allocated for residential development under the Telford and Wrekin Local Plan in 2018.
The site is ‘characterised by green fields predominantly used for grazing’ but is considered to be part of the built-up area of Telford in planning terms.
It also has areas of trees and vegetation, has public rights of way and Ketley Brook running through the land and a caravan park.
Planning documents say that the council will seek to provide housing that is as affordable as possible for residents most in need.
Support worker Louise Williams says she’s tried in the past to block developers from building on local fields, but says it ends up being a ‘box ticking’ exercise.
She said: ‘I’ve done a lot to prevent them from building on the fields. You end up feeling like you’re a tick box exercise to the builders, it almost feels pointless.
‘I rent a field that is going to have several houses built on it. I didn’t get anything, not a single letter until 19 December, over the Christmas period, but I ran out of time to reply.
‘They did the testing on the field that I use and I knew it was imminent. It’s been planned for years.
‘If it’s 250 houses, how can they use that tiny road. Where’s the homework and the sensibility for local people.
‘They’re not affordable homes. You can’t get a doctor’s appointment either, that’s a problem.
‘If you’re going to come here, just don’t be ill. I don’t know how they’re going to work out the traffic out, that’s a massive problem for us.’
